Chapter: Five: Gentlemen thieves

Author: Beck2

Shout-outs!

Niani: I'm glad you enjoyed it, I hope you enjoy this one as well.

Rayne: Wow, thank you! I'm always pleased when people say they like my characters.

Silent Bob 546: Nice evil laugh you have there. Good to know Tom has you on his side, eh? Thank you!

Graymoon74: Well, I hope you find something in this chapter that you like too. Thank you!

Clez: Thanks! I can imagine their faces too…they look pretty funny.

Rogue77: The movie is really cool. Yes, I figured I'd go with writing a guy character this time. I need to branch out more. Thanks!

Asteria: That was what I was aiming for. The eyes. Wow that was a bad pun, I'm sorry. But onto the rivalry, within the next few chapters I'm going to try and put in a funny scenario that popped into my head that should be pretty interesting. Thanks a bunch!

Roses-r-red: Thank you very much!

sugaricing: Thank you! I'm glad you complimented me on the writing, sometimes I wonder if my writing is any good than a nice compliment like yours comes along, and I know I must be doing something right.

A/N:

Many apologies for the week long lull, I really wanted to get this up last Tuesday, but apparently I picked up an angry reviewer. Again, I am very sorry.

*^^*^*^*^*^**^^*^*^*

Gilly whistled lightly as he checked his room. It was nice. And he'd probably enjoy it much more if he weren't here against his will.

The big dog jumped up onto the top of the bed, the bag still in his jaws. Clunky had almost permanently injured one of the crew members when they tried to relieve him of the bag. Afterwards, the general consensus had been to let the dog keep the 'damn bag'.

"Well this is bloody lovely, isn't it? I never liked sailing much. And especially not if the Aurous or whatever it is wandering around out there.  Should have known this was going to happen. Don't know why I should've known, but in situations like these I always feel I should have." He ranted to himself.  "Bloody Americans, Lexington, that Sawyer fellow, every time I meet one I get into some sort of trouble, it's not as if I don't get into enough trouble without them."

Clunky whined softly from the bed. Gilly patted the dog on the head when he sat down on the bed. It was big and soft, just as luxurious as the rest of the room.

"Well, if we're going to be kept anywhere, best it be here, eh?" He said with a grin to his furred companion. The dog swatted his tail down on the bed.

A light knock on the door caused them both to look up and Clunky let loose a low growl.

"Mr. Nesmond."

"Aye."

The door opened slowly and a crewmember poked his head in. "Would you like something to eat, sir?"

Gilly realized he was, indeed, hungry, and nodded in assent.

"Very well. I will bring it shortly."

"Thank you."

The crewmember left just as quick, probably because the growling from the big dog had jumped up in pitch. Clunky quieted and put his head back down.

A light pat on the head of Clunky and Gilly was up again, once again pacing the floor, deep in thought. "Well, I suppose there's nothing  for it, we're just going to have to keep on. At least until we can break away. Course, with that blood-sucker ain't a good chance of that."

The door was knocked on again, followed by the same crewmember carrying a tray.  Some Indian food was there, and a plate of unseasoned meat for Clunky. Gilly thanked him and he left.

"Interesting cuisine." He mused as he set the plate on the bed next to Clunky. Clunky considered it, not knowing if he should drop the bag and eat or keep a hold on the ill-gotten gains.

"I don't think that they'll steal your bag. Personally, I think they would have shot you if they really wanted it." The dog seemed to consider this for a moment, then dropped the bag and began wolfing down the food. Gilly picked up a fork and did the same.

*^*^^*^*^**^^*^**^^*^**^^*^**^^**^*^*

"The ship is ready for sail!"

"We await your orders Captain Nemo!"

Captain Nemo allowed himself a grim smile. It had only taken a day and a half to get the ship back to seaworthy sate. It could not dive, but as speed was of the essence, they would have to make do with what they had.

"Set a course for Rome."

*^*^^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Gilly choked lightly on some food when the ship lurched. The sounds confirmed that the ship was moving.

"Fast repairs."

^^*^*^**^^**^*^*^^*^*

Several days just wandering his room was monotonous. It was also boring, stifling, and slightly maddening. Gilly was suffering from first class cabin fever.

A knock on his door almost scared him out of his wits. "Aye?" He asked guardedly. All of this time on this blasted ship and he hadn't learned any of the 'League's' names. Well, not really.

"Ey kid, you want to come out? We're pining away for you out here!"

"Who the bloody hell.." Gilly walked over to the door and opened it. There was the gentleman that fell into the flour. "What do you want?"

"Just wanted to know if you want to get some fresh air. Or is staying in this cabin the best thing for you?" He said cheekily.

"Am I allowed to walk around on this boat?"

"Better not let Nemo 'ear you say that, he'll toss you right into the drink. And I really have no idea."

"If he tosses me into the drink he'll never figure out who mussed up his pretty little ship."

"True, very true. But he might do it to spite you anyway."

"Seems like a lot of that going around."

"That's true too." He grinned. Gilly shook his head. Thinking it over, he gave in.

"Very well. Not as if things could get worse, eh? If I get thrown overboard then you're all out something, so I guess I'd be spiting you back." A light whistle brought Clunky trotting over and Gilly followed the pale stranger through the halls.

"So what is your name?"

"Rodney Skinner. Gentlemen Thief."

"Is that so?" Gilly's voice betrayed some interest.

"Yup."

"And who are all the rest of you?"  Gilly couldn't help but feel curious, after all.

"Well, the lady of the ship is Mrs. Wilhelmina Harker, she's the resident blood sucking vampire. Very nice looking woman, if you haven't noticed."

"Yes, well, she has plenty of beauty to distract from her personality." Gilly commented snidely, catching a laugh from Skinner.

"Heh. The Indian fellow is Captain Nemo, who is the creator of this ship—"

"Prison."

"It's not so bad. Could be a lot worse. 'E could have tied you to the anchor." Skinner pointed out.

"Well, when you put it that way."

"Tom Sawyer, whom you have met upon many an occasion, is our American friend. Lessee…Lastly is Dr. Jekyll. He and Mina caught you."

"Thank you so for bringing that up." He said sarcastically as Skinner led them out onto the deck.  It was there he noticed something odd. "Where are your feet?"

"Right where you're looking." It sounded as if the pale man was enjoying some private joke. "Can't you see them?"

"No."

"Well, bein' invisible does that."

"Invisible." Gilly repeated.

"Invisible." He agreed.

"What is it with you people?" Gilly said exasperatedly. "Isn't there any normal people on this ship?"

*^^**^*^^*^**^*^*^^**^*^*^*^*^^*^**^*^

The Aurelius swept through the ocean like a silent bird of prey traversing the sky. Its intentions were not noble. The only intention was to become rich, to be feared throughout the seas.

But more often than not, the intentions whose roots lie in greed are the most dangerous of all.

The pipe smoking Captain of the beautiful ship smiled as he listened to his crew members read aloud reports from nearby towns. The governments were all a fluster with this new threat, and the only thing that could stop him was going half of its original speed and couldn't dive. It was of no consequence. It would take weeks for it to come even close to matching the might of the Aurelius, and the Nautilus would be dealt with far long before that.

It was only a matter of time.

^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^^*

Yay! Another chapter finished. I hope you all like it! Please leave your input on the way out!